Exciting field trips for MDA

MOKOPANE – School field trips provid learners with a chance to gain knowledge first hand. The excited learners from Mokopane Destiny Academy (MDA) visited the Makanpan’s Caves and the Reptile Park in Polokwane on May 6.
A group of 35 MDA learners visited the Makanpan’s Caves just North of Mokopane. “The learners were challenged with evolution theories, which helped them confirm their belief in God’s Creation,” says MDA’s Lily Swart.They also had the opportunity to see examples of limestone, dolomite and sediment.
In a second cave they heard the interesting history of what happened between the Voortrekkers and the Ndebele tribe in 1854.
MDA’s tourism students also gained insight into the tourism value of the caves, as well as what the vocation of a tour guide involves.
On the same day, the junior class visited the Reptile Park in Polokwane. After learning about reptiles and amphibians at school, the teachers of the junior students decided to give the learners a real life learning experience.
They got to see snakes like a puff adder and a snouted cobra as the tour guide gave them a lesson on what to do when bitten by a poisonous snake as well as some interesting facts about these and other species. 
The students were challenged to see these creatures as interesting animals that should be respected instead of just feared. Some of the students and teachers even got the opportunity to face their fears by posing for a photo with Boa, the boa-constrictor. One of the students announced: “I am afraid of snakes, Ma’am, but I am going to do this!”
Miss Raymandi Goosen, a Grade 3 monitor, said: “To have experienced the attitude and mindset changes that occurred in some of the students towards these creatures, was truly a blessing.”